Yet again another social media “guru” feels the need to tell us all how “not” to engage in
new guru (Photo credit: Bopuc)
social media, their way is the correct way to engage and manage YOUR social media. Okay folks lets get this straight, anybody who calls themself a “guru” or “expert” in the social media space immediately identifies themselves as anything but. Social media is not a “my way or the highway” proposition. Let me tell you what works in social media….WHATEVER IS WORKING FOR YOU!!!
Time and time again I hear so called social media experts telling people how to manage their social media applications, time, and a whole closet full of other social media tasks and behaviors. The only real rules to interacting in the social space is common courtesy, respect, and engagement. When you attend a presentation from someone in the social media field you should walk away with idea’s, excitement and enthusiasm, not do’s and don’ts. If you are doing something that is providing you positive results, don’t stop doing it because so and so social media guru tells you it is not “the” way to do it. It may not be the way THEY do it, but it is working for YOU, so keep doing it!
Let’s take a look at some oddities in the social media space.
How is it that some so called social media “experts” can include in their presentations
a entire section about being social, getting out there and interacting, yet deliver that information in a downright nasty manner. Being nasty and confrontational is not the way to engage me, when someone approaches me IRL(in real life) with a nasty and confrontational attitude I remove them from my “engage further” list. Why just because someone has 100,000 followers on twitter/FB or whatever would I change my social interaction expectations? If you feel the need to be a jerk and confrontational, I don’t want to hear from you…period. I don’t care how big your SoMe community is.
Which brings me to my next SoME oddity. I constantly hear from people that the
Social Media Related Events Icons (Photo credit: ralphpaglia)
number of followers/friends one has in their community is not important, it is the engagement that matters, (I do agree with that). Why then when someone with a large following spouts out some nonsense do those same people take that statement for SoMe gospel? Well so and so says that is how it is done and he/she has a huge following so it MUST be the way. I thought size didn’t matter….(you ladies stay step away from that statement).
Look folks, there is a reason some people have a large following, usually because they have good stuff to say, but by all means do not approach your SoMe interaction with any rules or stay within the lines mumbo jumbo. If you have found something that works with your SoMe community and is giving you positive results, then by all means, keep doing it. WHATEVER IS WORKING FOR YOU! That is what you should be doing. Yes, attend events that feature speakers, but be inspired by them, not scolded. A good social media speaker should be inspiring you to find your own voice, experiment with things in YOUR way, find what works for you.
Okay, stepping down from the soapbox…
Gettysburg Gerry
Gettysburg Gerry is principal for Studmuffin Media and can be reached at Studmuffinmedia@gmail.com
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